After a 34-6 preseason loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Indianapolis Colts have more than a few issues to sort through. The quarterback battle behind center is one mess. Cornerback depth is another.
At the top of the Colts’ cornerback room, the picture is clear enough. Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward are locked in, with Justin Walley sitting just behind them. Everything after that gets cloudy in a hurry.
That’s where Cam Taylor-Britt enters the conversation.
The former Cincinnati Bengals starter, and a familiar face for Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from their time together in Cincinnati, has been steadily moving his way up the depth chart. Based on what he’s shown in camp and in the preseason, Taylor-Britt looks like he has a real grip on the Colts’ No. 4 cornerback spot.
That matters because the competition around him has been rough. Mehki Blackmon had the worst showing of the group against Atlanta, but Rob Carter Jr., Jonathan Edwards, and Jaylon Jones have all been fighting for depth roles too. Edwards and Carter, in particular, struggled in their chances against the Falcons.
Taylor-Britt did not.
He finished with four tackles, including three solo stops, in the blowout loss. He also stood out in run support and coverage, and he forced a key third-down incompletion in the first quarter.
For a Colts secondary that looks thin beyond its top three corners, that kind of steady work stands out. Indianapolis is in a spot where cuts are coming, and the team could still search the league for help. Against that backdrop, Taylor-Britt looks safe.
He can still strengthen his case with another solid performance against the Detroit Lions next weekend in the Colts’ preseason finale. He’s unlikely to get many starting snaps this season, but on a one-year deal, he’s clearly auditioning for what comes next.
The first hurdle was making the roster, and Taylor-Britt appears to have that mostly wrapped up. The next challenge is squeezing every bit of value out of the chances he gets during the season.
And with his connection to Anarumo, there’s a decent chance those chances come more often than expected.
In Other News...
Former Colts Starter Faces Concerning Injury Scare In Houston
Braden Smiths move from Indianapolis to Houston gave the Texans an experienced starter at right tackle, but his first summer with the team has already hit a nerve. During a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers, Smith suffered an apparent leg injury and had to be carted off the field, a troubling sight for a player brought in to help stabilize one of the leagues most important spots on the line.
There has been no immediate word on the severity of the injury or how long Smith might be sidelined, though any significant absence would be a major concern for Houston. The former Colts starter signed a two-year contract with the Texans after spending several seasons in Indianapolis, and his health now becomes a key storyline for a team hoping to lean on him this season. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Final 53 Still Has Openings For A Few Real Surprises
The Colts are heading into final cutdown day with more questions than clean answers, and that uncertainty has created a lane for a few names that looked like nothing more than camp depth a few weeks ago. Injuries and recent departures have thinned out parts of the roster, while the defense in particular has gone through enough turnover that the back end of the depth chart feels a lot more open than it usually does at this stage.
That is where the intrigue lives for players like Coleman Owen, Jimmy Morrissey and Tim Smith, each of whom has at least hung around long enough to make the conversation interesting. The Colts are still sorting through position-by-position competition and weighing how those pieces fit into the 2026 roster picture, but the final answers have not come yet, which is exactly why the last few spots are worth watching so closely. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Still Have One Big Readiness Question Before Week 1
The Colts are heading into their final preseason game with most of the roster picture getting clearer, and the injury report finally offering some encouraging signs. Wide receiver Alec Pierce has been moving in the right direction after missing training camp because of ankle surgery, while cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. is back on the field after dealing with a back injury. For a team trying to settle in before the real games begin, those are the kinds of updates that matter.
Still, the last stretch before Week 1 is not without questions. Tyler Warren and Anthony Gould remain sidelined or limited with groin injuries, leaving Indianapolis to keep monitoring how quickly key pieces can get back to full speed. The Colts do not need every issue solved in late August, but they do need enough healthy bodies to enter the season with a workable plan. [Read more 🡒]